What do you do if you’re a vintage car owner in Port Alberni and a highway closure prevents you from heading to a popular car show in Qualicum Beach?
If you’re Dean Williams of Port Alberni, you throw together an impromptu “Road Closed” show ‘n’ shine.
Williams is a longtime car enthusiast. He and a group of his friends were looking forward to bringing their cars to the Seaside Cruizers’ Father’s Day Show ‘N Shine in Qualicum Beach this weekend. With Highway 4 still closed due to the wildfire at Cameron Bluffs, a group of them were lamenting the fact their cars would not withstand the long detour through Lake Cowichan via Bamfield Main logging road.
“I’m a car guy, I’ve always been a car guy. I work at the car wash now as a part-time, semi-retired gig,” Williams said. “I got to thinking if we can’t go over there, why don’t we have our own show?”
Williams approached the owners of Port Posh Wash, where he works, and received their support. “We’ve washed a lot of dusty cars this week,” he said; cars coming through the detour route. “With this situation we can make a positive from a negative.”
READ: Father’s Day Show ‘N Shine back in Qualicum Beach on June 18
The inaugural Road Closed Car Show—part of what Williams is calling the Port Posh Wash Logging Road Tour 2023—will take place at Tyee Landing on Saturday, June 17 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Participants are asked to bring their cars to Tyee Landing (3300 Harbour Road) beginning at 8 a.m. to set up. There will be volunteers to help park vehicles.
Williams is anticipating more than 100 cars taking part in the show. The car show community is large in Port Alberni, he added. “There’s a lot of nice cars in this Valley.”
He had 100 T-shirts printed especially for the first 100 entrants, courtesy of Port Posh Wash and Jal Designs and Graphics. Entry fee is free: the event is supposed to be fun for both car owners and the public. The event is taking place the same day as Solstice Arts Fest at Harbour Quay, so there will be lots of activity on the waterfront.
The timing for the event is fitting, says Williams, because many of the car enthusiasts in town said their final goodbye to the late Bill Surry, former president of the Alberni Valley Drag Racing Association, during a celebration of life last weekend.
“This effort is in memory of our good friend Bill Surry.”
susie.quinn@albernivalleynews.com
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